Notorious Proves We Needed Jan. 20th
When I first heard “a movie is coming out about Biggie Smalls”, I laughed.
I asked my informant, “Why in the world would I want to pay to sit through a movie about some rapper?”
Later, I saw the previews and decided to see the movie. I think I changed my mind because I was intrigued by the thought of actors and actresses playing the parts of people I recognize whom are still alive and still in their careers (such as Faith Evans, P. Diddy, Lil Kim etc).
The movie exceeded my expectations in terms of acting and storyline; however, I was stunned at how ignorant “The Notorious B.I.G” was during his short lifetime. I didn’t expect him to be Einstein, but did he have to make decisions like a six month old child who looks in the mirror, walks away and forgets what he looks like? The entire movie –with the exception of the five minutes that he was in elementary school– it seemed he, like too many other black males in America, only wanted to make choices that led to one of two places in life: prison or the casket. His whole life was a case study in what not to do.
His life experiences represent everything that is wrong with Black America: teenage pregnancy, drugs, rebellion, high school dropout and prison. I left the movie more convinced than ever that Christopher Wallace was both a womanizer and a mediocre rapper ultimately slain by his own arrogance and stupidity.
I’ll never understand who thought it was a good idea to preface the historical event that was Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration with a movie about an increasingly irrelevant former hip-hop star. In the end, it’s all about the money, but the movie would’ve made money any weekend. Why release it that weekend?
Black people in this country really do not need another movie (true story or not) about black men being rappers and/or thugs who go to prison and/or get killed. Aren’t we over that narrative yet? Can’t we permanently move on from negative depictions that are portrayed as the norm, but really stand in stark contrast to all that we can be, will be and are as a people? Has change come to America, or not?
Of course, in the movie, Biggie pulled the tired “I had no father so I’m a thug” justification. Barack Obama didn’t have a father and he is the president of the United States. Next excuse?
In a country where more black children are born to unwed mothers than married parents, it is high time we abandon that defense and conscientiously choose something better for our lives and for our children’s lives. A father’s presence is of the utmost importance, but a person cannot justify going to prison because they didn’t have a father in the home.
My irreverent attitude toward “Biggie” might rub some people the wrong way, but I recently watched a black man be inaugurated as president of the United States and that means something to me. Among other things, it means it is a new day in Black America. Our problems aren’t over and our future is not secure, but I refuse to glorify a past in which many people couldn’t dream of seeing a black man in office. And I’m certainly not going to begin to esteem a lifestyle that sends too many black people to prison and the grave.
If “Notorious” showed us anything in the three days before Obama’s inauguration, it is that we needed January 20th more than we realized. Maybe now young black children can look past their street corners or BET’s Rap City for role models. What might Wallace’s life have been had he, instead of aspiring to own gold chains and white-on-white Nike Air Force Ones, aspired to graduate from Harvard Law School and become president of the United States like Barack Obama?
Wallace may not have reached that goal, but more than likely he would have lived long enough to try.
Article by Alissa Christine
Alissa serves as Managing Editor for theFreshXpress.com. She enjoys reading, writing, shopping, Facebooking, Tweeting and all things PINK.Follow her on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AlissaInPink
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{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
i think its tough to cast such a harsh stone on the movie and the acts that Biggie did while growing up and in the industry. Now, I preface this by saying I don’t agree with everything he did, but what I am saying is that not everyone is as advantageous to know that teenage pregnancy is wrong (lack of parenting, male discipline, order in the home, extra curricular activity, etc.), people using or selling drugs (people gotta eat, selling drugs might be the only way to get money in lower socioeconomic areas, there aren’t jobs in the hood, lets be real…lack of a “psychologist” to get therapy from, family support, lack of direction), rebellion (no mentors, guidance, parents, focus), high school dropout (poor school systems, appearance of more opportunity outside of school) and prison (the after-effects of the previous issues.
I think if you watched the movie and saw the issues you pointed out as your focus, then yes, that’s very easy to see. However, 95% of the people who went to see the movie where big fans of Biggie’s life and history, and craved to learn more. He wasn’t the best father, but he wanted and became better, in his second album he became a more conscious rapper, and remember he was only 24 or 25! Dude was still young, I’m that age now and I consider myself highly educated and still do dumb sh*t.
So, although i think you make valid points, its hard to appreciate coming from the pedestal view that you preach from. Look forward to reading you more!
-Ed.
http://www.edthesportsfan.com
It will be hard for some people to understand the message behind this movie. why? well, until you’ve truly experience struggle, failed miserably, had time to reflect on your life, and then been forced to realize that you were wildly misguided, stupid, and ignorant, the message will skate over your head time and time again. The moral of this story is that no matter how bad, immoral, or irresponsible your past actions may have been, they do not define you. The future provides endless opportunities to redeem yourself. Biggie went from selling crack to pregnant women, to facing the fact that he was not a good father, and finally to atoning for his mistakes by becoming the father he never had. When my son grows a few years older I will be sure to show him this film, so he will learn a few lessons. 1. What not to do. 2. how to tell when your f-‘n up 3. How to rebound from those failures and grow into a man.
“This goes out for those that choose to use
Disrespectful views on the king of ny
Fuck that, why try, throw bleach in your eye!”- Biggie
It will be hard for some people to understand the message behind this movie. why? well, until you’ve truly experience struggle, failed miserably, had time to reflect on your life, and then been forced to realize that you were wildly misguided, stupid, and ignorant, the message will skate over your head time and time again. The moral of this story is that no matter how bad, immoral, or irresponsible your past actions may have been, they do not define you. The future provides endless opportunities to redeem yourself. Biggie went from selling crack to pregnant women, to facing the fact that he was not a good father, and finally to atoning for his mistakes by becoming the father he never had. When my son grows a few years older I will be sure to show him this film, so he will learn a few lessons. 1. What not to do. 2. how to tell when your f-‘n up 3. How to rebound from those failures and grow into a man. “This goes out for those that choose to use Disrespectful views on the king of N,Y. / F-k that, why try, throw bleach in your eye!”- Biggie
You have over-simplified “the problem with black america.”
Hmm…Ed pretty much hit it on the head. I’m actually slightly offended by the “ignorant” remark. Or maybe I just don’t understand exactly what you mean by it. He’s ignorant because he used illegitimate means to reach societal goals? Classic strain theory. And comparing Barack’s upbringing to Biggie’s? Come on now. I agree with Dorian as well. Definitely an oversimplification…to say the least.
A very well written article, but I think you’ve missed a few points. Barack Obama was able to achieve what he did because his mother continuously stressed education. His mother woke him up early before school to study more than was required. That construct helped him see beyond what many black men in America see when they’re growing up in lower middle class neighborhoods. Its not easy for someone to transcend their environment and see something beyond the horizon that has never been shown to them before.
BIG made some mistakes for sure, but to expect him, and other young adults/kids growing up in poverty, to see beyond the confines of their environment is asking a lot. I grew up with a single parent (father), poor, in my neighborhood’s version of the projects (low income housing). But, because my father had gone to college and grown up well off, I was able to see past the confines of my environment. Many of my childhood friends could not… Most kids growing up in poverty see only what’s in front of them… to do otherwise is extraordinary, and not the norm.
Thanks again for your article, I look forward to others…
I liked the move and I’m a young, professional african-american who went through some of the same things as B.I.G. Yes, it was more of the same when it comes to movies about black ppl, but it was the life story of B.I.G. and I remember when most of that shit happened, so it was nice to revisit the life of a legend and see the mistakes he made again, i.e. not being there for his daugher, cheating, slangin etc. Maybe one of these young brothas out here will learn something from the movie, which I think is always the point, and make better choices in his life.
I think this movie came out at the right time. It showed the world that Black people are not a monolithic people. We are not all the same. We have some who think the only way out the hood is ‘a wicked jump shot or slanging crack rock’, but for 75% of Black folks that’s not the case, Barack Obama, A Different World, and many other shows have shown this side of Black life. Notorious just showed another side. I went and saw it and sang along with all the ‘ignorant’ songs, songs that I would not let my son hear, but songs that were the soundtrack of my college days. As ignorant as Biggie was, he was not much different from most young men trying to find their place in this world, he just had more fans than the average man.
We ain’t thugs for the sake of being thugs, nobody do that where we grew at nigga duh!….We ain’t doing crime for the sake of doing crime, we moving dimes cuz we ain’t doin fine.
I feel like I would be a little more on your side with this argument if Notorious were a fictional narrative, but since it’s a reflection of reality I don’t feel like you’re being considerate in your critique. Consciously, I don’t think Biggie, or any black man that invests in a life of crime, seriously considered prison or the casket as his only two choices, and that speaks a lot more toward your argument.
For Biggie, at least as seen in the film, drugs and illegal activities were a livelihood, not a hobby…so that prison or the casket were certainly possible consequences, but worth the risk for developing some sort of agency in his environment. I think this is the same for most black men who make the same choice, because they don’t feel like they have any other option. And no, I don’t mean to suggest that some drug dealers and hustlers aren’t lazy, selfish, and lack ambition, but it’s not really fair to generalize a group of individuals in that way. I also don’t mean to suggest that their aren’t other ways out of the hood, but I feel like Notorious goes out of its way to stress that point.
I’ll admit that we live in a culture that glamorizes the sort of life that Biggie led, but that’s really a recent development. Biggie was rapping about his situation because it was all he knew, and in the film we see that as his consciousness expanded, so did his lyrical motivation. Whether or not he accomplishes any new level of social enlightenment is debatable, but it’s obvious that the film wanted to show that he was on his way toward growing beyond the hood.
Also, let’s be serious…Biggie is a far from mediocre rapper!
I’d actually be more interested in knowing how you felt about Lil Kim’s depiction in the film. True to life or not, I definitely felt like she was a sympathetic character (?), especially considering we see her nude within the first 20 minutes of her screen time, but don’t hear her name until nearly an hour later. It definitely seemed like Biggie reduced her to depending on the objectified image that she thrives on today…at least professionally.
I personally did not appreciate the fact that this movie came out so close to the Inauguration. Instead of creating a weekend full of different dimensions/expressions of the life of a black man( or black people), I feel this movie, coupled with the inauguration, gives the impression that this (Notorious) is the norm and Obama is the exception. I can’t speak to the specifics of the movie and its depiction of all things wrong in Black America because …I haven’t seen it. I mean, didn’t we all know the ending already? lol.
I’ll ask this of you… What did you think of Ray? Ray Charles was a womanizer and heroine addict who made tons of poor choices… but he was an artist… artists live alternative lives, they operate outside of the logic that most people live by…. vincent van gogh was a skitzo and cut his fu$%in ear off, but he is revered as one of the greatest artists ever…
BIG was a product of a negative environment and shouldn’t actually be looked at as any type of hero, the fact of the matter is that he is a true artist and possessed lyrical gifts that only a select few have. U might not like the content but if you dissect the mechanics of what he could do, his talent was irrefutable. if you can honestly say he was mediocre you have no true knowledge of what hip hop is about, on a construction level… saying you like talib kweli and common does not give you a hip hop pass lol, cuz they look up to BIG.
He didnt have a dad and he turned to crime as a youth, that is a fact of life… of course there are other choices but if you dont have anyone in your life that you look up to steering you right, a child will follow a negative path. As a male i can def vouch for that… I had a dad and he was my hero, but the guys i came up with that lacked that presence ended up doin some dumb stuff because they listened to/looked up to older dudes that were up to no good… What allowed me to filter that was having a real, tangible role model… Obama is damn near the perfect human, so its very hard to compare the two, plus Barack did not grow up in the gutter, and thats a fact. He is definitely an outlier.
Yea it came out near the inauguration but that was because they knew black people would go see it… as you did. Thats just good business.
BIG at the end of the day led a negative life but he was able to touch the lives of 15million people with 2 records, his story telling skills were like no other and that is why there is a movie on his life. every adult goes through some fucked up shit it just so happens that his shit played out live on tv. nobody gets rich or becomes powerful without burning bridges. Chris Wallace is no exception.
-sent from my iphone please excuse any misspellings-
Man I want to show love to all the FreshXpress writers and commend everyone. I guess this article just seems a little off to me. I was an avid BIG fan back in the day and also a street dude. The streets aren’t for fun and fad…at least they weren’t then. Rap then wasn’t what it is today. Back in 95 cats still weren’t vying to be rappers so hip-hop’s mainstream appeal was still burgeoning. BIG was a poet with a large vocabulary and intelligence. He was giving you the world as he saw it and his mother tried to recreate that plus give the story of her son’s life. I just feel that this article is a lil off.
If I’m not mistaken did not Barack do drugs and almost headed down some dark paths? I believe he’s mentioned that in one of his books. Columbia was his Bad Boy and Bad Boy was BIG’s Columbia University. His time just ran out. BIG was able to connect with dudes like me. Having all of these feelings bottled up and not being constructive in dealing with them. I mean “my momma got cancer in her breast don’t ask me why Im stressed!” When my moms had cancer in her breast so did his and I felt that.
Maybe you should find out who BIG really was because the movie was on point with his story.
I love the fact that we’re talking about these things. I will have to give a hand clap to Rob for showing everyone what they’re forgetting. He was an artist, and you don’t have to agree with that, but in someway you do have to respect it. Just like Edgar Allen Poe was a drunk and Faulkner was a womanizer, Biggie also had his flaws. He was a poor kid, who made it big, made some mistakes, and ultimately helped change the face of music. Why can’t we give him some credit for that?
Firstly, I hate blacks on their pedestals cause YOU are whats wrong with the black community. I dont condone the lifestyle or anything like that, but you NEVER know what decisions you would make unless you are DIRECTLY in that person’s shoes. Luckily you may have had better role models etc to steer you another direction., but thats neither here nor there.
I was going to write more, but wont give this horsesh1t of an article anymore airtime.
What Might Big and Pac have become had they lived long enough? (See Jay-Z…..$700 milli+ and one of the best businessmen of all time, and no he didnt go to Harvard)
Irrelevant? Mediocre? Like I dont know if you write this sh!t to play devil’s advocate or if you are really this stupid.
Regardless how you feel about his choices and his lifestyle, to even begin to call him irrelevant or mediocre is much more ignorant and stupid than anything he said or did in this movie.
One thing I like about intelligent people, is when they are in an argument they can still be somewhat rational in their assessments. I.E. I think LL Cool J isnt that great of a rapper in comparison to others, but to deny his obvious effect on hip-hop would be nothing short of insane (much like this dumb article)
I dont know you, and after these ignorant comments I can only make assumptions as to your personality, but either you are VERY smart and say shit to get people to read and comment, or you are very dumb and naive.
*get off your pedestal and KY*
Shout out to Nudy and Rance Rob yall basically delivered your opinion very eloquently I will say that, but at the end of the day the author obviously has been ill-informed about her subject but she still is entitled to her opinion that I respect. I’m not vouching for her because im bout to thumbs down this article (lol) but at the same time these are the thoughts and complexities that are actually very common within our African-American community. Truthfully fellas many of our black women have this very same insecure image of us as black men especially us ones from that urban variety. I’m not a writer but I definitely want to see a article written on her school of thought, just a thought…I digress.
Ok, I agree with Larry. Although he was a little more “outspoken” then I would have been.
But I dont see how you can call BIG as a rapper mediocre or irrelevant. Play Hypnotize in the club now and see how irrelevant he is, name me 3 rappers more talented now then he was almost 14 years ago.
I just wasnt a fan of the movie period. Biggie was a talented rapper that we cant deny, even tho I was in L-O-V-E with Tupac and his poetic side. This movie was an attempt of a biography…. sure it glorified him n puff ….Diddy and Biggie’s mom were producers but it showed a few sides that I didnt think the movie would delve into. But it was NO RAY! Watching the Biggie movie was more than a deeper look into Biggie’s discography even tho he did master rapping about his life and REAL experiences (50-ja rule…current rappers PLEASE TAKE NOTE) Now rappers try to b rhock stars and create facades. I mean when you have rappers (lil Wayne) stating in a article how he had to stop snorting cocaine cuz it gave him BAD ACNE….come on….
I’d love to see a Tupac movie done like Ray…he had soooo many sides which creates sooo many questions. He went from living in the NYC, to the white neighborhoods, dance/poetry classes, honor school, to gang-related rapper…what a span of character….
Lets just say…I didnt love/like it but I didnt hate it. It was just a movie to pass the time….(and they did play Kim)
On A Side Note….I would DEF like to read (no time to write) an(other) article about the relationship dynamics between black men n black women-there r so many but none that ive read on this site. I mean, just as Black women can sometimes down black men with the ni99as aint sh!t…blah blah….or the belief that most black men from the “hood” are thugs etc etc…..Black men also have the chickenhead/rat/hoebag(my fav lol) image of black women or the ball breaking black woman or my favorite the “black-women-cant-compare-to-mellow-yellow”
Any thoughts??? New Blog???
As a writer, I can respect you for your opinionated style of conveying your views. It opens a door to look at things in just more than one perspective. I can understand where you were coming from with the depiction of Blacks always being shown in such a negative manner, as well as the whole timing of the movie to be launched—four days prior to a phenomenal moment in history, the Inauguration of our First Black President. Or sadly how America really viewed some Blacks; dope boys, chains, foul language, or flat out ignorant/disrespectful. But, the timing of it also shows the dreams that Black America once sprouted from, to the re-routed direction of newborn possibilities that we‘re now headed in. A dream of making it out the hood is no longer limited to slangin’ dope or playing ball—the sky is no longer the limit for those who truly want to touch it. Dreams are now believed. I left the movies that day only wishing that his dreams of changing himself were actually given the opportunity to be lived out–we’ll never know what type of change he may have brought upon America, because his dream of change was chopped short. I was amazed at his heavy influence in the music industry, the impact his words had amongst our communities.. It’s just sad that he didn’t live long enough to show that a positive comeback was actually possible. Good movie, an okay story line, great controversial article.
The release of the movie has nothing to do with the president inauguration. They are two different events in history. You can compare the two individual either Barack is the 1st black president that doesn’t mean every Black person has to be a president. I think people should do what makes them happy(biggie-rapping and Barack-president) simply stated. I didn’t like how the movie was so bias and some of the actors they could of did better. I think this is a movie for all Black people to see to motivate themselfs.
Wow, Larry H., you’re a real jerk. You could have made your point to the author with some class the way everyone else did, but instead you decided to muck it up with irrelevant ad hominem attacks and profanity. What’s laughably ironic is that you accuse Alissa of being “stupid” and “ignorant,” while blowing a fuse because she dared to insult your childhood hero.
God forbid someone have a different opinion than yours of a long-dead cultural figure. I didn’t agree with everything mentioned here by Alissa, but I’m much more embarrassed of being on the same side as someone who is as off-keel as you.
No, I’m not off keel at all, the post was for shock value more than anything. BIG was no where near a childhood idol, truth be told I didn’t really luke him that much till after he passed. But again to use the words “mediocre” and ” irrelevant”. Is beyond insanity. If Roger Ebert can watch the film and respect the culture of it and big’s importance on hip-hop, as any unbiased critic should.
If she said she didn’t like the movie or thought it was poorly written or acting was bad, ok.
Pedestal talk is why so many blacks are turned off by the “succesful black yuppies”.
Just by opinion, and I express it accordingly.
When I heard that the movie was coming out I was so excited. I have always been a fan of Biggie and the rest of his entourage. I guess I focused more on the trials that he went through in order to make it. Let’s be real..it is a reality. No matter who the President is (no offense) these things have happen and are currently happening in the streets of America. The way Biggie came up is how he knew to survive. Also, keep in mind he was only 24 at the time of his murder so that means he was still a very young man and had not fully grown into his manhood. The womanizing, not seeing his daughter and all the other things kind of come along with the territory. Not saying that it’s right but that is how it goes. Money, drugs, bitches…that’s how it goes here in Columbus, Ohio. None the less Biggie turned his dream into a reality and made it for the better. Puff seen his talent and promised to make his career blow up and it did. I loved it, the critics seem to have good reviews, and he (Biggie) still lives in spirit. “I love it when they call me Big Poppa”…still a club banger!!
I def see your point Alissa, but I have to disagree. I’m slightly offended by how simple you view the Black community because truth be told, the majority of the community can relate personally to “the struggle” in some capacity. This movie is a testimony and as we all know, there can be no testimony without a test. I’m no major Biggie fan, or rap for that matter, but I can still appreciate his testimony.
Where to begin… Where to begin??? Title! ” ‘Notorious’ represents everything that is wrong with Black America” I cannot agree with that statement exspecially with the body of work that you have presented after that which explains your position. And in some sense I am a bit perplexed at how you make the links and how this encompasses “everything wrong with Black America” The areas you highlighted “teenage pregnancy, drugs, rebellion, high school dropout and prison” I feel you would need more explanation as to how these topics and the movie equate to represent what’s wrong with “Black America”… That’s a shaky argument it may display these issues without macro-context, critical/analytical thinking, research or broad base conscientiousness but that’s something different.
Now in summation of your blog, I see that you were reluctant to see the movie and thought it was untimely marketed and some choice depictions that you found in err. Also, that you are not a fan of Notorious’s body work or his talent, and those are opinions I can accept… you have your thoughts and that’s fine. I don’t want to debate that it’s rather low level but anyway… I could definitely make arguments with your valuation of Barack Obama somewhere along the lines of White supremacist Oppresive country leader/head of state, professional politician, the culture he subscribes to etc…
Oh yeah, I have not seen the movie. I may see it eventually but I don’t hold much to it simply because I have an understanding of his life already via the media and to me he was just an entertainer and his benefit to the community or “progress” for “Black America” is relative and maybe to an extent insignifcant. Yes, he had influence upon many of folk but yet in still his appeal is a product of popular culture and the images and depiction of life has been glorified and is glorified way beyond necessary.
I do jam to his songs in the club, in transit, and on my media players but that doesn’t make him or his impact greatly significant in my world. If I see the movie I would probably shred, some imbalances and unnecessary accentuations, to pieces but I do that to almost everything Haha. My brain is trained to do such…. Thanks.
I would have been the first to agree with the article written. However, many encounters and experiences through friendships have led me to understand the life and times of someone like Notorious B.I.G. While we all make choices that influence and shape the rest of our lives, we can not censor the complete story because it doesn’t have the life and ending that you like. I am someone who is very stedfast in what a black man and woman should be. However, just because someone does not project what I believe to be right does not mean they should not be heard. Futhermore, the author of the article completely misses the turn around of Notorious at the end of the movie. He makes a decision, after his friend D-Rock talks to him, to become a better person and father. This is also reflected in the statement that he makes to Diddy, when he tells him that he can not rap about the same things anymore. Therefore, he was looking and seeking to make a change. However, he was shot and killed before that change could be made.
For my final point, while it is amazing what Barack Obama has accomplished there is pride in other places. Just how there is pride in being president, we should teach our young black men and women that there is pride in anything that gives people hope and helps the community. While rapping is not the profession that you many necessarily look up to or admire, there are people who find hope in it. They find hope and solace in the fact that a hustler, from the same block and city, made it legit. That he or she can make it just like they did. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be in rap, just the fact that they made it out of the streets is enough. The inspriation of tapping into your art and skill and providing a better life for yourself. That is part of the message of Nortorious.
Just how we can’t limit our story to the streets, we can’t limit it to the White House either. The black community is forever expanding in many directions. I believe education to be highly important, but let’s not forget that that is not eveyone’s way. So don’t criticize a person for telling their story. No matter what, good, bad or indifferent, it is what made us part of who we are. There is nothing wrong with seeing how the other half lives. If we only show stories of Barack Obamas, then we only have half o the truth. Notorious + Barack Obama make up who we are as a people. It’s the good and the bad, and the lessons we learn along the way.
Great article! Many of the comments I had, have already been said. But, I will say this. I recognized a few of the people who posted comments, and like yourself, many of them have received some type of post-secondary education. It is easy for those who have overcome obstacles or those who were privy to receive a college education to forget. Just looking at Ohio Unversity, for instance. When I attended between 2001-2005, minorities (blacks, latinos, pacific islanders, etc.) represented less than 10% of the student body. I would dare say that this is true, to some degree, of most universities (with the exception of HBCU’s, of course). However, because WE (those who have at least one degree, or more) are surrounded by other educated blacks we tend to forget that we are still under represented in education, political offices, etc. I saw Notorious, and I came away with a deeper appreciation for him, and so many people like him. I saw how a group of young, black men in their 20′s could turn a DREAM into a reality. I saw how a young, black man (Diddy) with determination and perserverance could create a multi-million dollar company. Do I condone Biggie’s lifestyle? Not in the least. But when I look at his accomplishments, in the face of his enviornment, I was impressed.
It was a movie based on an entertainer. It is a fallacy to base what’s wrong with ‘Black America’ on the decisions of one entertainer. Even if you make an example of him, you must realize that his situation and circumstances are more an example of what’s wrong with the opportunity system in America as a whole than to imply that his story shown on screen will corrupt our youth… Furthermore, it is a mistake to compare the inauguration of our first Black President with the release of a movie about one entertainer in regards to time of release. It’s the Movie business, it was probably set to be released regardless of who was elected into office. You do realize that there was a whole production schedule that took place, including the release date, right? Usually, those things don’t change because there are strategic reasons for releasing the movie, centering around maximizing profit. Additionally, if you are going to criticize this movie as a negative depiction of black people, you will need to criticize EVERY black movie that has come out or will ever come out. If the movie has any sense of reality to it, then there are going to be some things that are negative depictions of blacks, because in reality, some blacks do negative things. You should criticize Love Jones because of the dysfunction of male/female relationships, Any Spike Lee movie for his depiction of how we supposedly view whites, Every Tyler Perry movie… Hell, just blame all black movies for the way some black people behave. And by that token, just blame all movies period, regardless of race… A better topic on which to cast your opinion would be the purpose of Black Entertainment. Does it entertain us or does it keep us entertained… there is a difference.
I Respect you as a writer, but I don’t agree with what you wrote in this article about BIG. But, like some of the other people have commented before, you might want to give BIG’s music a listen first before you run out to see this movie, and then compare it with “Black America”..let alone compare him to President Obama. Or why it came out around Inauguration Day..
I agree with Alissa, I did not want to see the movie. However my friends wanted to to see it, so we made an event to see it. My immediate reaction to the movie, was that here is another black young male feeling like he has to slang rocks instead of going to school. If you didn’t notice Christopher was not selling rocks to make a living for his mother. He was simply selling drugs to get fresh gear. His mother was a teacher or something, and they were not struggling per se. He was chunky, so he was well fed, and his mother had a decent roof over their heads. It wasn’t until Christopher got his girlfriend knocked up, did he need to sell rocks. That situation right there is what irritates me about young black men in America. The ones who really aren’t wanting for anything, and are just trying to be cool, and look nice, instead of being grateful for what they already have. I have a few male friends who I went to private school with my whole life ( and we all know it cost to attend private and catholic schools) and they chose to sell rocks or weed. NOT for the benefit for the family but for material possessions, which lead to more self destruction. And THAT my friend’s is what I see Alissa is trying to say. Black America is too much in to “keeping up with the jone’s”. Biggie’s mother was very much educated, and she tried to instill education in him, but he chose otherwise… There is no longer an excuse for black men to say they didn’t know they would end up in jail or dead! We have all seen “New Jack City”, “Boys in the hood”, “South Central”, and all those emotionally jerking movies that show what the life of crime leads to. WE ALL KNOW BY NOW!!! If I were a black man contemplating selling drugs, I would immediately think about prison, and someone trying to steal my asshole! That would change my mind quickly, unless that’s how I liked it. Now if Biggie really came from an impoverished life, and all that, then I would have sympathy. But he didn’t god bless his soul, so hopefully when you all do decide to show this movie to your kids, make sure you tell them the difference between just choosing to sell drugs and actually needing to because you really can’t do anything else. As far as the movie coming out during inauguration who knows why the “Man” did that… I don’t think it really matters
Ra hit it right on the head..Biggie didn’t have to do what he did he chose to. Although he wanted to change and was unable to do so because of his death, that does not excuse his previous behaviors.
i dont think until any of has lived in a hood like brooklyn can we judge the life of biggie. @ the end of the day, u live in a ghetto and your poor,things arent as easy as they are for a black american like obama who grew up outside the ghetto. And i dont think you know much about hip-hop if ur callin biggie mediocre or irrelevant ? one of the greatest ever in most artists and fans eyes, acknowledged as #2 by MTV….say no more.
I actually agree with Larry H,its african americans who verbally attack others that are an issue. look @ al sharpton and jessie jackson,they verbally attack anything they think makes blacks on a whole look bad. Don Imus got fucked over coz of their condoning his words,even when he apologised.
Biggie made mistakes, and if he was alive today he would say the same and agree that yes he could’ve done things differently,and he would no doubt have regrets,but he did what he had to @ the time. he grew up in the 80′s when racism and segregation was still a thing that alot of people could remember clearly, so his career opportunities were never goin 2 b as high as they were 2day for Obama. Again,until you’ve lived in the ghetto,i dont think any1 can actually judge